Europe

The hut-to-hut hike on the Alta Via 1 (AV1) is one of eight roughly parallel Alta Via routes through the Dolomites in Northern Italy. This UNESCO World Heritage Site in the the Tyrolean Alps is known for its rugged beauty. The AV1 is generally regarded as being the easiest of the routes, but don’t mistake that … Continue reading »

Geneva is a great place to get over jet lag with its walkable historic core, endless sidewalk cafes, glittering blue lake and fascinating glimpses into international organizations that reach around the globe. Its central location means that trains, buses and cars can transport you to magical moments in the nearby Alps or destinations in France, … Continue reading »

The Alsace Region, nestled between Switzerland and Germany and the Vosges Mountains in France, is known for its aromatic white wines and charming villages. I visited the southern part of Alsace, known as Haute-Rhin, or Upper Rhine, on a recent trip that originated in Geneva. Since it was only a 3-hour drive from Geneva it … Continue reading »

The Tour of Mont Blanc, a 110-mile hike through the Alps in France, Italy and Switzerland, meanders through villages and is connected by an extensive system of refuges (huts), hostels and inns. Though some carry full backpacking gear for a mountain expedition, many carry daypacks and take advantage of the many shelters. Once the decision … Continue reading »

I had a lot of questions about food when planning our self-guided trek on the 100-mile Tour of Mont Blanc. It was a relief to not have to plan our usual backpacking menu since I had just done five backpacking trips in one summer but I wondered what we would find. I anticipated much … Continue reading »

When planning a hike of the Tour of Mont Blanc (TMB), which circles around the Mont Blanc massif, the choices immediately get overwhelming. Once you’re on the trail it becomes even more obvious that, while there may be an official TMB route, the variations are endless. About the TMB The Tour of Mont Blanc is … Continue reading »

Rome The last time I was in Italy I was 14 years old, my mother and I having just been evacuated with the last of the women and children of Western nations from East Pakistan, leaving my father behind. East Pakistan was undergoing a bloody metamorphosis into Bangladesh in a bitter civil war, and we … Continue reading »

Gazing at the riot of designs and colors my eyes darted around wildly, unable to focus on any one motif. I shuffled around the showroom trying to organize the patterns into a coherent sense, without success. With some relief we were ushered into a workroom to begin our education of Umbrian ceramics, after which I … Continue reading »

A highlight of a recent trip to Umbria, a hilly, rural region of Italy located between Rome and Tuscany, was the sampling of many fine wines and comestibles. Six friends gathered to experiment with the many superior house wines (and remarkably few duds) typically available in the in the small cafes and dining establishments of … Continue reading »